Irbit potatoes

Irbitsky potatoes are among the achievements of breeders of the last decade. The variety was bred in 2009 at the Ural Scientific Research Institute of the Russian Agricultural Academy. Despite the short period of existence, the potato managed to win the confidence of summer residents. Initially, the variety was created for cultivation in the West Siberian and Volga-Vyatka regions, but in practice it has become much more widespread, right up to Moldova and Ukraine. Today Irbit potatoes are among the promising varieties listed in the State Register.

Features of the variety

Description:

1. Mid-season variety. Young potatoes can be dug out after 2 months. Full maturation occurs after 3 months;
2. The tops are of medium size, do not grow much, the main branches grow straight up. The leaves are dense, medium-sized, bright green in color, and have a carved border. Flowers are blue in color;
3. Fruits are even, oval with dense pink skin and sparse small eyes. The pulp is a delicate yellow shade. The taste and aroma are pronounced and intense.

Characteristics of Irbit potatoes

Parameter	Value
Yield	Up to 400 c / ha
Weight of 1 fruit	On average, 150 g.
Number of fruits on a branch	6-10 pieces
Ripening period	2.5-3 months
Bush height	0.65 m
Preservation in winter	0.96
Starchiness	0.17

Agricultural technology of cultivation

As a rule, 2 factors have the greatest influence on the quality of the future harvest:

• The quality of the planting material;
• Choosing the right landing site.

Care in this case is a corrective procedure and allows you to improve the growth of plants on scarce soils. If the planting material is purchased for the first time in the nursery, then there is no reason to worry about a quality harvest. When the material is formed from tubers selected for planting from last year's harvest, then a preparatory stage is necessary.

Description of the preparation of tubers for planting:

1. 20-25 days before planting, the potatoes must be removed from the storage area;
2. Each fruit is examined, rotten or bad specimens must be thrown away;
3. Potatoes are placed in a dark place with a temperature of + 15˚C… + 20˚C for germination. Direct sunlight should not fall on the tubers;
4. If the tubers are very large, then they can be divided into parts. Each slice should have 3 sprouts;
5. For prophylactic purposes, the planting material can be treated with drugs against pests, for example, Commander, Prestige or other varieties with a similar spectrum of action;
6. Spraying of tubers with growth stimulants is allowed.

When choosing a landing site, you should pay attention to the illumination of the site. The more sunlight hits the ground, the better your potatoes will grow. The absence of wind and draft is also an undeniable advantage. When the optimal site is found, you can examine the soil:

• The optimum level of soil acidity is 6 Ph; on more acidic soils, liming should be carried out using dolomite flour. At the same time, this variety does not like highly alkaline soils. Root crops grown in an alkaline environment are significantly reduced in size and lose their taste;
• There are no special requirements for the composition of the soil. Chernozem is the best option, but sandy and clayey compositions are also suitable.The fertility of the site can be increased by applying fertilizers. Sandy soils can be sown with lupine a year before planting. On other soil types, oats are the best predecessor. It disinfects the soil.

Planting can be started when the soil warms up to +8 ˚C. This temperature is optimal for root development. The Irbit variety is very fond of early planting, while the yield can increase by 6 times. Potatoes will also germinate in cold soil, but the germination period will stretch for 1.5 months. In the southern regions, potato planting begins in mid-April, in the middle lane - in mid-May.

Fertilization is carried out in 2 stages:

1. In autumn, the field is dug up with the simultaneous introduction of manure. You can use both fresh and rotted. Application rate - 6 kg / m2;
2. During spring tillage, humus (10 l / m2), ash (1 tbsp / m2) and nitrophoska (2 tbsp / m2) are introduced.

Planting of the Irbit variety is most often done in holes. Bolets with a row spacing of 0.35 m are cut in the field.Tubers are laid at a distance of 0.6 m from each other, the seeding depth is 0.1 m.

Potato care includes the following procedures:

1. Loosening. This variety of potatoes thrives in dry soil, but you need to keep the soil loose. Loosening is usually combined with hilling and weed removal. The first hilling is done at a seedling height of 15-18 cm. First, the soil is loosened to a depth of 10 cm, weeds and roots are removed. Then the bush is spud with loosened earth. When the tops grow considerably, and the branches of the plants begin to intertwine with each other, you can do a second hilling. During this period, it is necessary to loosen the soil no deeper than 5-7 cm. Additional loosening should be done when the topsoil is significantly compacted. The loosening depth should be no more than 5 cm. This will be enough for the roots and tubers to gain access to oxygen, but at the same time exclude the possibility of injury;
2. Watering. Irbit potatoes are drought-resistant varieties. Moreover, during the period of bud formation and flowering, it is necessary to maintain soil moisture. These periods are the most important in the development of the plant, it is at this time that the future harvest is actively formed. On average, 2-3 waterings per season are enough for potatoes. The first time - at the time of planting, the second time - during the budding period, the third time - during the active flowering phase. If the summer is extremely dry, you should water more often, since the critical lack of moisture reduces the yield by a quarter;
3. Top dressing is an important part of any care. The best way to fertilize is in conjunction with watering. Nitrogen fertilizers are best applied at the time of planting and in the development phase of the bush, since nitrogen affects the growth of green mass. At the time of fruit formation, great attention should be paid to potash and phosphorus fertilizers, in particular, wood ash. It is these components that help the fruit gain weight and accumulate nutrients;
4. Diseases and pests are not afraid of Irbit potatoes. In very rare cases, a Colorado potato beetle or a potato moth appears on the bushes, a wireworm rarely starts in the soil. Preventive treatment of tubers before planting helps to reduce the risk of infection to a minimum. When insects appear on the plant, you can treat the leaves with insecticides (Fitoverm) or folk remedies (potassium permanganate, copper sulfate). Also, complex preparations that have the properties of both fungicides and insecticides have become very popular, which means they fight both pests and diseases at the same time. The most famous means of this group are: Celeste Top, Matador-Ultra, Emesto Quantum. Against the wireworm, an effective method is to add Protection when planting. It is laid out in a thin layer at the bottom of the planting hole. This soil contains a predatory nematode that effectively destroys the wireworm. Do not forget about the observance of crop rotation.The likelihood of infection increases many times when using the same site for more than 3-4 years and when choosing a site where Solanaceae were grown in the previous year (tomato, pepper and others);
5. Harvesting begins in August. Yellowing and drying of the tops is the signal to start harvesting. A week before digging up the potatoes, the tops are cut off. A sunny day is best for harvesting so that the tubers dry out in the sun before storing them. Potatoes can lie in the sun for no more than 3 hours, after which they must be transferred to a dark, well-ventilated room. After 2 weeks, the potatoes need to be sorted out. Rotten potatoes should be thrown away immediately, chipped or crushed can be used for livestock feed. The rest of the potatoes are sorted into 2 parts. The most ideal, even, equal-sized fruits are deposited as seed material for planting next year. The remaining tubers are used for human consumption. The sorted potatoes are stored in a cool, dark place.

Advantages and disadvantages

pros	Minuses
High taste qualities of table potatoes, suitable for all dishes	Significant shortcomings have not been identified, sometimes there are difficulties in non-observance of the peculiarities of the cultivation technique
High safety, resistance to mechanical damage, transportation
It takes root easily on different soils and in different climatic conditions
Withstands drought, frost, heavy rains without crop loss
Has immunity against most potato diseases and insects
Small fruits are rare, so they can be planted for sale
Potatoes do not degenerate, retains varietal characteristics when planting tubers harvested in previous years

The Irbit variety is very popular due to its ease of cultivation, high yield rates, excellent taste and long shelf life in winter. You can safely try to grow these potatoes in your personal plot for both beginners and experienced gardeners.

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